How to Clean a Nasal Piercing

Nose piercings can take up to six months to heal.

A nasal piercing, just like any other type of piercing, qualifies as an open wound and you should treat it accordingly. As a normal part of healing, bleeding and non-pus secretions may leak from the pierced area, making it necessary for you to clean it. When caring for a nostril piercing, take care not to introduce bacteria into the wound to prevent infection and allow it to heal without mishap.

Things You'll Need

• Mild antibacterial soap
• Running water
• Paper towels

Instructions

1. Wash your hands with antibacterial soap and water before touching your nasal piercing. Dirty hands can transfer bacteria and lead to an infection.

2. Step into the shower and allow warm water to run over your nasal piercing. Put three or four drops of mild antibacterial soap on your wet fingers and rub your fingers together to create a lather.

3. Rub the nasal piercing gently with your soapy fingers while gently rotating the piercing jewelry. Allow the soap to remain on the wound for no more than 30 seconds.

4. Run warm water over your piercing while gently rotating the jewelry to ensure that all of the soap residue washes away from the area.

5. Pat the area dry with clean paper towels or allow to air dry. Repeat twice daily for approximately three days. After three days, clean once a day for four weeks. After four weeks, continue to clean the piercing once every two to three days for up to four months.

Tips & Warnings

• You can rinse your piercing in between cleanings with plain running water if needed.

• Once your piercing has healed, the jewelry may no longer rotate freely.

• Keep cosmetics, sprays and sunblock away from your nasal piercing during the healing process.

• Do not submerge the piercing into any body of water such as a lake, hot tub or pool to avoid bacterial contamination.

• Do not coat your piercing with antibiotic ointment after cleaning; it's not necessary for the healing process.

• See your doctor if the nostril piercing becomes red, swollen or develops pus-filled sores.

References

• Association of Professional Piercers: Suggested Aftercare Guidelines for Body Piercings
• Body Piercings: Nose Piercings
• Pacific Body Jewellery and Piercing: Nostril Piercings Aftercare